BEAD, a small globe or ball used in necklaces; and made of different materials, as pearl, steel, garnet, coral, diamond, amber, crystal, palles, glais, &c.—The Romanists make great use of beads in rehearsing
their Ave-Marias and Pater-nistres; and the like usage is found among the dervises and other religious throughout the East, as well Mahometan as Heathen. The ancient Druids appear also to have had their beads, many of which are still found; at least, if the conjecture of an ingenious author may be admitted, who takes those antique glais globules, having a snake painted round them, and called adder-beads, or snake-buttons, to have been the beads of our ancient Druids. See ANGUIS.